It makes no difference. If you like driving a manual, drive a manual. If you prefer driving an automatic for any reason, drive an automatic. Personally, I really don’t care what I drive. But what frustrates me most about this’debate’ is the arguments everyone comes up with to prove that their chosen transmission is superior.
1) "Manual allows you more control over the power output."
If you’re used to driving a car that’s auto it is just as easy to control the engine as it is in a manual. You become used to the way the transmission behaves in various situations and you’ll know how to manipulate it accordingly. Most newer autos feature different shift modes that adapt to the driving style of the driver and shift accordingly
2) "Automatics rev higher, often to 3000 RPM where a manual only revs to 1500-2000 RPM and use more fuel"
Not True. It depends entirly on the car. I drive a 2004 Ford Falcon(Australia) with the base 4.0L inline six(182Kw)and 4 speed auto. Under normal acceleration(ie. NOT flooring it, but not driving like a old granny) I would say that I may have gone above 2200 RPM about 3 times in the past month.(Not including overtaking on highways ect.) My wife drives a 2006 Holden Commodore with a 3.6L V6(195Kw) and I frequently hit 2200 RPM or more. Her car is a 5 speed manual. Instrestingly the Ford with the bigger engine and auto transmission gets better fuel consumption.
3) "Once you start driving an automatic regularly it’s hard to go back to a manual."
If you’ve learnt to drive a manual, no matter how good or bad you are, it’s relativley easy to switch between them. There may be one or two hicups if it’s been years, but everyone falls back in to driving a manual.
4) "Auto’s are easier for learner drivers or inexperienced drivers"
How do you think we became experienced at driving a manual? We practiced. For me I learnt to drive in both a manual and auto. Yes there were a few times when I wasn’t in the right gear for the situation but everyone does that at least once. And for those who say they never did, stop lying. People arn’t going to become good at something if they don’t practice it. I am currently teaching my daughter to drive a manual and I think it’s much easier to teach someone to drive a manual before they’ve become accustomed to an automatic becuase it’s easier for them to change their driving habbits. It would be alot harder to teach someone to drive a manual, if they’ve only been driving an auto because they were too "inexperienced" when they were originally learning to drive to drive a manual.
5) "Passing your test in a manual will allow you to drive an auto as well, but not visa versa"
This depends on the country/state but in Victoria, Australia, if you pass your test in a auto you can’t drive a manual until you resit the test in a manual. This law only applies to Probationary Licences. Once you’ve had your licence for four years you get a full non-probationary licence and you can drive a car with any transmission, regardless of whether you passed in a manual or not.
6) "Manuals are more exciting"
Cars are first and foremost a means of transport. A way of getting from point A to point B. There are few times in our everyday comute to work/school/wherever we go that the difference in excitment levels vary between auto and manual. It’s just as thrilling to do 150km/h as you over take car infront of you in an auto as it is in a manual. Either way you would be breaking the law in all but one Australian state.
7) "Manuals are smoother than automatics"
When changing gears in a manual, you go from power on to power off when the clutch is depressed, an effect that is quite noticable. When an auto changes gears there’s no loss of power. If the auto is in good condition has has been serviced semi-regularly it will be alot smoother than a manual. This is most noticable when taking off at lights and under hard acceleration. Next time your at the lights have a quick look at the cars next to you. If you don’t notice any differences in the way the cars accelerate then you’re not paying enough attention to what’s going on around you.
8) "Manual doesn’t allow you to fiddle with phone/food ect."
True. A manual requires the use of both hands. But if your playing with your phone or doing your makeup or reading or some other stupid task, then GET OFF THE ROAD. No one wants idiots who arn’t paying attention driving on the road. It’s dangerous. It is the easiest way to get into a car crash. If you drive an auto because it allows you to do other things when your driving you do not deserve to be driving. You are clearly not smart enough.
So there you have it. Neither is better or worse than the other. They both do the same thing and it comes down to your personal choice. But next time someone asks you why you drive a manual or an auto think about your reasons behind the decision. Chances are the’re not really valid reasons for your decision.